Sunday, November 4, 2012

Children of the barren woman

I went to a baby shower yesterday. Though I celebrated with excitement for the mother-to-be, my heart ached so badly for children of my own when I left.
Isaiah chapter 54 has been "mine" for years and today the Lord brought it to mind. It was like He said, "You feel the ache of barrenness and you know the sense of refusal from men, but open your heart and home up because I myself am your Husband who chose you when you were forsaken, and My children are your children -- and they are many. They are the fatherless. In a few days we will go to a couple hundred of them. They aren't the children of your body but they are the children of your heart. You are already a mother of many. You cannot fathom the plans I have for you and I." My heart for the orphan has been sincere and passionate over the years, but never have I wished I could go to them more frequently or get them in my arms more quickly than yesterday (and all the days to follow).
Last night my Pastor thanked me for my heart for the Lord's children. My first thought, before the Lord had even spoken to me through Isaiah 54, was, "How could I do anything but care for them? The Lord's children are my children because I am part of His Body." That is true of all of us.
To the barren, ones who have miscarried, the infertile, the single, the widow, the orphan... While others are given the gift of "each other" in marriage or birth or family, we have had those gifts taken or withheld. OUR HOPE IS IN THE LORD. In Him we have a Father, in Him we have a caring and protective older Brother, in Him we have a Husband, in Him we have a family (the Church) and in Him we have children: the fatherless.
Even though I cannot adopt, I can go and I can show them the love of their Father through my motherly heart. There are so many children, with beautiful names and unique faces, with painful backgrounds and seemingly hopeless futures, who need to know LOVE. They need someone to hold their hands, cry with them, encourage them, look them in the eye and listen to them. And imagine, if I was married and had children I would be much less free to go and love them. Though the barrenness aches, I will praise the Lord for it! His ways are higher than mine and His desire is for my good. Oh, praise Him!

1 comment:

Is. 54 is actually the Scripture that the Lord used to start healing my bitter heart. For me it was like ripping off a scar, not a slow, comfortable healing, but a painful healing that allowed new, healthy flesh to grow. I hope that makes sense.